Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) has taken decisive steps to combat workplace bullying following a recent tragedy involving a civil servant’s suicide at the Labor Ministry. On Wednesday, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Premier Cho both apologized for the incident, with Labor Minister Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) submitting an oral resignation.
During an administrative meeting on Thursday, Cho emphasized the critical need to address workplace harassment seriously, urging all government department heads to be vigilant from central to local levels. He stressed that workplace bullying within the public sector, particularly in the Labor Ministry, represents a significant institutional responsibility.
Cho made three key requests to cabinet members: lead by example, conduct thorough investigations to prevent recurrence, and strengthen protective mechanisms. The Cabinet spokesperson Li Hui-chih (李慧芝) explained that leaders must treat colleagues as they wish to be treated, investigate and prevent future incidents, and establish robust internal protection systems.
The premier has called for a comprehensive review of anti-bullying measures across government agencies, establishing safe and effective prevention mechanisms that encourage employees to speak up. Cho says that the government must learn from this incident, develop comprehensive institutional reforms, and demonstrate a commitment to immediate disciplinary actions should any workplace harassment incident occur.